A Shoulder to Lean On
by Cormag Ravenstaff
Summary: What does it mean to be human? Twoshot.
1. Part 1

"What the hell was that, rook?" snapped Elma as she locked her guns to their holsters. The last cries of the indigen behind them died out.

Cross frowned, and simply said, "Sorry."

Elma shook her head in anger. Lin took a step back, surprised at Elma's reaction. The white haired BLADE lowered her voice, but kept the tone, "You've been distracted all day. And this time, you almost got Lin killed. Do you have an explanation for me, soldier?"

"Elma, it's fine. I'm—" Lin began.

"No. We deal with this now," Elma declared. She folded her arms, "I'm waiting, rook."

"I'm just tired," Cross evaded.

Colonel Elma didn't accept that. "I asked for an explanation, not a cop out. You don't want to talk about it? Fine, you're suspended from BLADE duty until I get my answer."

"What?" Cross protested, instantly becoming more alert.

"You heard me. Go home, Cross. Consider that the last order from me," growled Elma.

The BLADE hung his head and began to walk back to his skell. Lin tried to make eye contact, but her friend made no effort to meet her eyes.

Stepping into his skell, Cross left his two friends.

Lin immediately turned to Elma and shouted, "What was that for?"

"We can't have anyone distracted in battle," Elma said with certainty.

"Give the man a break!" Lin argued. "He found out yesterday that he isn't even a human! No one is comfortable with mims when they first hear about them."

Elma's words died on her lips. Lin, a thirteen year old girl, just proved that she knew Elma's recruit better than she did.

Dammit.

* * *

Cross parked his skell in the hanger. He didn't step out immediately.

Breathing deeply, he looked at his hand. Cross clenched it into a fist, and it obeyed. He didn't do it, the machine did.

He was a machine. A pretty fake.

He was no more human than a grex. Or a prone. Or even a ganglion.

Sighing, Cross exited the skell. He'd have to accept that death was now an option, something that shouldn't be feared.

But to do that…felt like betraying everything he was as a human.

Earth was gone, over nine billion humans were gone, and Cross was going against what it meant to be a human.

"Swell," he muttered.

Before he knew it, his feet took him to the Residential District. He had nothing to do, given his lack of duty.

Taking up a seat on the bench in the park, Cross closed his eyes.

* * *

 **Author Notes: Part one of two! The next half should be up tomorrow, if I can make it!**

 **This is a response to a rather friendly rivalry that has begun between me and another person in this fandom (You know who you are). I look forward to your move once I upload the next chapter.**


	2. Part 2

"I came to apologize," Elma announced her entrance.

Cross opened his eyes to see the white haired woman sitting next to him. How she had managed to move so quietly was beyond the BLADE.

"How did you find me?" Cross asked.

"Your mim has a tracker in it," Elma admitted, tapping the scroll at her belt. "It helps us keep an eye on all our BLADEs."

Cross grumbled, and looked away from Elma.

"Look," Elma began, "I wanted to apologize for my actions earlier. Lin told me what's been bothering you."

"You don't have to worry yourself with it," Cross evaded.

Elma frowned, "You're one of my soldiers. I am very concerned for your wellbeing."

Cross sighed, "…It's just a lot to take in. All this time I keep hearing how humanity is facing it biggest struggle. Yet we do it without fear of legitimate death. It feels to me, like we're denying ourselves our humanity by using robotic bodies."

The Colonel nodded, "I see where you're coming from. But wouldn't you say it's our fundamental sense to survive? Above all else, humans are superb at surviving. I find it to be one of the most admirable traits of our kind."

Cross blinked, "So mims are just a means to an end? We aren't going to use them even after we find the Lifehold?"

"Yes," Elma smiled. "I for one, long to have my real body back again. I find mims unnatural…but useful."

Cross laughed, "Thanks for the talk, Elma. I needed it."

As the young man moved to stand, Elma held him back down with a slight frown, "Not yet, rook. I'm not done with you yet?"

"Oh?"

"If this was bothering you so much, why didn't you come to me?" Elma demanded as Cross leaned back on the bench.

"I…er…" Cross ran a hand through his hair. "Well, you're the Colonel. I didn't want to bother you."

Elma's eye twitched. She leaned forward, setting her hand on his, and spoke quietly, "You're part of my team. I care about you as much as I do for Lin. When something's bothering you, I want you to talk to me."

"Yes, ma'am," Cross said stiffly, glancing at her hand.

"Lean over," commanded Elma.

"Huh?"

"That's an order."

Cross leaned over to Elma, and she positioned his head on her shoulder. In his complete puzzlement, he asked, "Elma?"

"You're stressed. I thought this would relax you," Elma explained, thankful that he couldn't see her light blush. "Was I wrong?"

"No, ma'am!" Cross hastily said, easing into her shoulder.

"If you ever need a shoulder to lean on, or cry on, I'm here," Elma whispered.

Cross nodded, and smiled.

* * *

 **Author Notes: Damn, do I love this game.**

 **You're move, mate.**


End file.
